#married stiles.derek

[celestialvoid-fanfiction]

Words I Could Never Say Out Loud

Stiles and Derek had their wedding guests each write a letter for them to read on their anniversary each year. Their first anniversary, they pick out Peter’s letter

For @imagine-sterek​‘s 10k 10 Day Celebration

November 12th: Anniversary

 It was a trend they’d seen on the internet: you write a number on an envelope and tell people at that table during your reception to write a letter that you’ll read on your anniversary that corresponds with that number.

Normally, Table 1 is for family. But their wedding was only small and they had a rather non-traditional definition of ‘family’. If they were to go off the normal definition of family then the table would consist of Sheriff Stilinski, Cora, Peter, and maybe Malia. If they got away without them murdering each other, there was also the question of Melissa and Scott—they’d both been in Stiles’ life since he was young and were family to him. And then there’s the pack too—pack is family.

So instead, they scrapped the idea of allocated seating and let people sit wherever they wanted, and they put their own spin on the letter idea. They had guests write a letter each and put them in unlabelled envelopes that Stiles and Derek would pick at random to read on their anniversary.

Today was their first anniversary.

Derek got out the antique decorative box that held the letters, setting it down on the coffee table as he and Stiles settled onto the couch.

“You pick first,” Derek said.

“You sure?” Stiles asked.

Derek smiled sweetly and nodded.

Stiles reached over and opened the lid of the wooden box. He ran his fingertips over the tops of the envelopes and picked one out at random.

He sat back and opened the envelope, pulling out the letter.

His smile dropped from his face.

“What?” Derek asked.

“It’s Peter’s handwriting,” Stiles said.

Derek let out a sigh.

The letter was bound to be filled with snark and sarcasm, but this was the tradition they had signed themselves up for.

“Alright,” Derek said, sinking back into the cushions of the couch beside Stiles. “Let’s hear it.”

Stiles cleared his throat and began to read the letter aloud,

 To Stiles and Derek,

 Congratulations on your marriage. May it be full of endless joy, memories to share, and undeniable love. I am truly happy for the both of you and I wish you all the best for the years to come.

When you were born, Derek, I held you in my arms and I promised you that I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you, and while I may have failed in some regards and even caused some of that pain myself, I tried my hardest to keep you safe. I chased away those that were close to you because I was scared they would hurt you. And I have to admit, there was a point at which I was worried I’d screwed up your chances at ever finding love. That is, until a scrawny, sarcastic kid came into the picture.

At first, I thought nothing of him, thinking he was just an annoying, weak human but he soon proved me wrong. He was brave, strong, defiant, trustworthy, and loyal. He was able to read other people—know when they’re lying or if they’re a good person. And as much as he drove me up the wall, I have to admit, I admired him.

Then I saw you slowly fall in love. The way you glanced at each other when you thought the other wasn’t looking, the way a single touch could calm you, the way you ended up being able to know the other person inside out.

I was worried that if you gave your heart to him, it would only hurt you; after all, he’s human. So, I tried to protect you and tried to scare him and push him away. But no matter how hard I tried, Stiles wouldn’t leave your side. He was there for you, no matter what. And you were always there for him when he needed you the most.

After a while, I realised there is no getting rid of him.

At first, that annoyed me, but now I see it’s a good thing. I see the way he makes you smile, the way he challenges you and pushes you to be your best. I see the way he holds you when you feel like your world is falling apart, and the way he lets you see how vulnerable he is. You two bring out the best in each other.

These are the things I could never say out loud.

I don’t know what anniversary you’ll read this on—if you ever do (I have the feeling Stiles will throw the letter away as soon as he sees my handwriting)—but I hope that your love is as strong as it ever has been and may it stay as strong for years to come.

So, my dear nephew, I offer you one piece of advice: let yourself fall in love every day. Whether it be over a cup of coffee, his clumsiness, or the sound of his laugh, let yourself feel loved. Let yourself feel safe enough to let your guard down.

And Stiles, know that while both our families are small, broken, and complicated, you will always have a place in our family. You will always have someone who has your back, someone to stand with you through the good times and the bad, and you will never feel alone or unworthy.

Congratulations to the both of you.

 Love always,

Peter.

 Stiles fell silent for a moment, letting the words sink in. Tears welled in his eyes, blurring his vision into streaks of colour and light. He carefully folded the letter back over and slid it back into the envelope, holding it for a moment.

He drew in a deep breath and blinked back his tears, turning to look at Derek.

Derek’s eyes glistened with tears, his cheeks damp from the droplets that had trailed down his face.

Stiles reached over and gently brushed the back of his finger across Derek’s cheek, wiping away the tear that fell.

Derek met Stiles’ gaze, looking at him lovingly.

Stiles smiled sweetly. He shuffled closer to Derek’s side and craned his neck, pressing a tender, sweet kiss to Derek’s lips.

Derek rested his forehead against Stiles’, tilting his chin up and bringing his lips to Stiles’ as he returned the kiss.

They both let out a quiet chuckle as they pulled back.

Derek sniffed back his tears, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his sweater.

“We can’t ever let him know we read that letter,” Derek said jokingly.

Stiles let out a quiet laugh, placing the letter back in the box at the back of the pile. “I’m not going to tell him.”

Derek looked at Stiles, watching the way the light from the fireplace lit his eyes, the warm glow making his citrine brown eyes turn to pools of gold. He watched the way his smile turned up the corners of his mouth, making his cheeks dip slightly into dimples and his moles dance across his skin.

“I love you,” he whispered.

Stiles smiled as he turned to look at Derek. “I love you too.”

[AO3]